June 29, 2026
By Adam Ruffner
New writer, same basic concept as every week—the seven top player performers from this past weekend's games. I'm really keen on players that are helping their teams improve playoff positioning, and all of the ballers below helped notch wins as we close out the final month of the 2026 regular season.
Players are listed alphabetically by last name.
Chander Boyd-Fliegel, Oakland Spiders
After a rough showing against the Wind Chill two weeks prior, Chander Boyd-Fliegel bounced back in a big way during Oakland’s 2-0 road trip in Week 10. His 12 total scores against Colorado and Salt Lake now make him the top rookie scorer this season, and more importantly he refound his rhythm as a passer and mobile distributor in tight spaces, going 39-of-40 from the field. Oakland produces heaps of red zone chances nearly every matchup, and Boyd-Fliegel’s ability to shift between thrower and receiver at that end of the field has made him an indispensable tool for a unit that can be a little feast or famine.
Dexter Clyburn, Oakland Spiders
Dexter Clyburn’s transformation into a high-volume, high efficiency passer was crucial in Oakland’s win to clinch the West Division one seed. The former Callahan winner finished with a career high in completions (57) against just one turnover, and his 405 passing yards eclipsed his previous season high by nearly 100 yards. He’s still a threat to score as a receiver from anywhere on the field, but Clyburn’s started to leverage his athletic advantages into becoming a ruthless counterpuncher who can change directions on a dime; the Clyburn and Boyd-Fliegel two-man battery inside the red zone can really work the weave.
Khalif El-Salaam, San Diego Growlers (Pictured)
Though his first game back in over three weeks wasn’t his most efficient effort, Khalif El-Salaam brought a Bonds-sized bat to knock off the rust and finished with eight total scores, four huck completions, and nearly 20 yards per touch as the Growlers slid back into the third and final playoff spot in the South Division with their win. El-Salaam’s throwing power and playmaking ability raises the ceiling for this entire Growlers offense, energizing continuation pieces like Marcel Osborne and Daniel Brunker, while also lending more stability to the trenchwork Brandon Van Deusen has been doing in the backfield.
Bonus: Max Combs — An assassin in the open field, this second-year defender has six assists, 11 goals, and seven blocks in just his last three starts. Combs has breakaway speed that makes him stick to opposing receivers like velcro, and his attacking style/route running is a little reminiscent of Madison’s Anthony Gutowsky.
Ricky McLeod, Seattle Cascades
Max Pettenuzzo isn’t the only University of Victoria rookie product playing a prominent role in a playoff race, as Ricky McLeod and his three-block night last Friday helped the Cascades solidify their grip on second place in the West Division; McLeod’s late-game, out of position interception on a deep shot intended for Ben Thoennes effectively sealed the victory. McLeod now has five different multi-block games in his first eight starts as a pro, and his gap-closing acceleration coupled with explosive layout capabilities make him a missile once he gets the read. And while he’s got nowhere near the throwing arsenal of his UVic teammate, McLeod is developing into a bigger role on the counterattack as a receiver.
Nico Ranabhat, Madison Radicals
Not even a downpour could dampen the poise of Nico Ranabhat in Week 10. The former UW-Madison product continued his career year with his sixth start in eight games with one throwaway or fewer, and his quickness (feet/throws/decision making) continually outpaced ‘Cats coverages. A spread passer by nature, Ranabhat eschews any kind of primary target in favor of keeping the disc moving, which has helped alleviate Madison’s tendency in the past to get bogged down in the backfield. And though he’s not a volume shooter from deep, Ranabhat has shown precision and a potent lefty backhand when he wants to go long.
Zeke Thoreson, Carolina Flyers
It took only five games, but after last Friday’s perfect performance (three assists, five goals, two blocks, 32-of-32 on throws, 740 yards, zero turnovers) in an overtime win against Atlanta, Zeke Thoreson is already fourth on the Flyers in total scores, and within three of moving into third. Speed is at the core of everything Thoreson does, and it makes him a top five (honestly, probably more like top three) deep threat in the league already. But his added dimension this season as a thrower/disc mover makes him diabolically hard to guard in one-on-one situations, and Thoreson continually exploited mismatches inside the red zone for easy scores alongside Tobias Brooks. Just think of what this Flyers offense will look like with Allan Laviolette back in the rotation, allowing Thoreson even more room to run.
Cooper Williams, Carolina Flyers
A fourth-year breakout star, Cooper Williams now leads the league in blocks after his fifth multi-takeaway game in his last six starts. A prototypical athlete with size and speed, Williams’ best feature is his hard nosed instincts and his ability to always put himself right in the thick of action, making him a coverage asset basically anywhere on the field and a master of switches; watch Williams feint upfield before crashing into the backfield to take away this set-piece swing pass. He’s also become a primary cog in the league’s best counterattack (four straight starts with multiple scores), and Williams now has ten times as many blocks (20) as throwaways (2) on the year.
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